Lockheed Martin Announces Experienced Team for Pursuit of ADS-B Program

OCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 30 — Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today announced its world-class team that will pursue the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) program, the first step in the agency’s next generation air transportation system. The Lockheed Martin-led team of Sensis Corporation, Harris Corporation and Honeywell International will be proposing a proven technical solution coupled with an innovative business approach for this cornerstone initiative.

ADS-B uses information from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to pinpoint an aircraft’s exact location in the sky. By combining this information with information on an aircraft’s type, speed, direction, and flight number, both pilots and air traffic controllers will be able to see the same real-time display of air traffic. This improved situational awareness will allow pilots to maintain safe separation from other aircraft and will also likely reduce the risk of runway incursions. Implementing ADS-B will also result in increased airspace capacity; its accurate tracking will enable aircraft to fly safely and predictably with less distance between them.

“The benefits of ADS-B to the FAA and the airspace community have been proven over the last eight years through the FAA’s Safe Flight-21 program,” remarked Sue Corcoran, vice president of Aviation Solutions, Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions. “Our team members have successfully partnered with the FAA during Safe Flight-21, and we are eager to continue this partnership as the FAA expands this capability nationally, bringing benefits to all aviation stakeholders.”

Lockheed Martin has assembled a team with multi-disciplinary expertise so, if selected, it can successfully perform on the ADS-B program. The team’s capabilities and roles include the following:

    *  Lockheed Martin Corporation will be responsible for overall system
       design, integration, deployment, transition, and operations.  In
       addition, the company will leverage its eight years of experience of
       integrating ADS-B functionality into its en route and terminal
       automation systems in Alaska as part of Project Capstone and in the
       Ohio Valley as part of the Cargo Airline initiative to ensure a smooth
       transition of this functionality into the national airspace system.

    *  Sensis Corporation will be responsible for the ground receiver
       technology that is essential for the success of the ADS-B program.  A
       pioneer in developing and implementing ADS-B, Sensis supplied 178 ADS-B
       transceivers to the FAA as part of the Capstone program in Alaska and
       the Future Surveillance program on the East Coast, Arizona and North
       Dakota. This has provided the broadcast of surveillance information
       from the aircraft to the controller as well as the broadcast of traffic
       and flight information from the ground to the aircraft (Traffic
       Information Services - Broadcast and Flight Information Services -
       Broadcast).  The company also fielded the first operational ADS-B
       transceivers for both the Mode S Extended Squitter and Universal Access
       Transceiver datalinks in Australia in 2004 and Alaska in 2005.   To
       date, the company has installed more than 750 ADS-B compatible ground
       stations worldwide.  Rannoch Corporation will support Sensis in its
       role.

    *  As part of continuing service over the lifetime of the program, Harris
       Corporation will manage the interoperable exchange of cooperative
       surveillance data. The company will provide network capabilities to
       move the ADS-B information where it is needed, when it is needed, with
       a high degree of security assurance.  With experience on ADS-B related
       technology stemming back to the mid-1990s, the company has been a
       thought leader on this initiative through its participation on various
       standards boards and committees.

    *  Honeywell will leverage a long history of successful programs which
       includes installation, operations and management of critical
       infrastructure to help Lockheed Martin deploy and operate systems in
       the field.  In a leading role on overall ADS-B avionics equipage,
       Honeywell will ensure the successful integration of any provider's
       avionics with ground equipment.  The company will also assist with
       outreach to the aviation community, ensuring the insights of key
       stakeholders are reflected in the system design and service offerings.

“If selected, we would be proud to bring the FAA the maximum value for the ADS-B program by building on the agency’s current investments and leveraging our team’s experience and investments to bring a balanced risk solution to this important initiative,” said Corcoran. “We understand the importance of successfully managing this program because, as an enabling technology, ADS-B will serve as the springboard for the required enhancements to meet the demands on the U.S. national airspace system in 2025.”

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

Source:  Lockheed Martin